The Bearer of Forbidden Knowledge
by ObeseCommando
Summary: In an attempt to build trust with her partner, Weiss tells Ruby one of her deepest secrets.
1. Chapter 1

Ruby shut herself away from the world with her headphones. Though the music was playing at the loudest volume, it was just barely loud enough to keep out Yang's voice. Ruby loved her sister, but sometimes she wished that the blonde could play a videogame in silence, especially when the Ruby could hear her sister clearly from a different room. The music blasting into her ears was all she could do to have the solitude to properly immerse herself in her book. Although the redhead could have walked to the library, Ruby found that she lacked the energy to get out of her comfy bed. The sheet hanging over it also helped to keep the rest of the world out and provide the ultimate sanctuary from everything but Yang.

However, the world always found a way to intrude upon her private time. This time, the avatar of annoyance took the form of a pale hand. Ruby felt a brief flare of agitation as she saw her curtain get pushed away. A blast of cold air hit the side of her face and she groaned. All Ruby wanted to do was finish some personal reading that wasn't a textbook. Was that so much to ask? Her annoyance faded when she saw Weiss's head peeking over the edge of the bed.

Ruby turned down the volume of her music, hoping to get back to her book as soon as possible, but conversations with Weiss seldom went in the redhead's favor. Ruby still remembered when she had gone two meals without eating a vegetable. The verbal lashing she received from Weiss was enough to make half of the cafeteria go back in line to get something healthy. Ruby steeled herself to face the consequences of whatever miniscule mistake she had made before facing her partner. However, all of her defenses were blown away and were replaced with surprise.

Weiss's expression was impassive, which was a far cry from the irritated look Ruby expected. The heiress's ponytail was frayed and looked as if she had been playing with it. Her cheeks were redder than usual, and her icy eyes were dull. Ruby leaned forward. The sudden movement snapped Weiss out of whatever internal struggle she was experiencing, which caused her to give a tiny jump when she noticed Ruby was looking at her. The redhead waited as Weiss composed herself as best she could, even though only her head was visible. When she was done, her face was still red, though for what, Ruby didn't know.

"Can we talk?"

Confused, Ruby closed her book and sat up. "You don't need to ask permission, but sure. What's up?"

"I've been thinking about our partnership, and I want to try something."

The words triggered a memory of Ruby's pre-teen years. Weiss and their Beacon dorm faded away, and Ruby was back home. It was dark and Ruby wanted to stay in her bed and sleep, but nature had an awful habit of calling when she was having a good dream. All she knew was that the dream revolved around a gang called the Tunnel Snakes. Ruby saw that the light to her father's study was on. Since it was on the way to the bathroom, Ruby had no choice but to pass by. She could hear two women talking, but fatigue and inattention allowed her to block most of it out.

However, as she passed by the opened doorway, she couldn't help but looking at the computer screen, which depicted two half-naked women that looked like they were trying to eat each other. Their moans were so loud; Ruby wondered how she hadn't heard it sooner.

"I want to try something," said one bronzed woman with unnaturally large breasts to her companion before throwing her against a wall and resuming their tongue wrestling. Ruby never saw what "something" had turned into. She had immediately run back to her room and hid under the covers.

"Ruby!" Weiss scolded. "It's rude to not pay attention when someone is trying to talk with you!"

Ruby blinked. Beacon reformed itself around her. Weiss didn't look happy. She kept looking at the door as if she expected something awful to happen.

"Sorry. Just," Ruby paused. She couldn't explain what had happened. What the words did to her. There was no way Weiss was there for _that_ sort of something. Or was she? Ruby wanted to strangle her mind, but that could wait until after she told a lie. "I was just thinking about an upcoming project."

The answer satisfied Weiss. "That's good. So like I said, I was thinking about how to increase our partnership with some trust exercises. So I wanted to tell you a secret about myself and you can only keep it between us. Deal?"

Ruby fought the urge to roll her eyes, though she did find the idea exciting. But didn't a trust exercise involve two people having less than complete trust in each other? "Is this something we have to do?"

"If I'm going to be your partner for four years, yes. Though I don't like to admit it, I am going to place my life in your hands."

Ruby pouted. "But I already trust you."

Weiss blinked. Ruby wondered if her partner was having trouble understanding the concept. After a long pause where she didn't make eye contact, Weiss said, "That's fine. But I still need some proof."

Ruby wanted to protest, but she decided against it. Perhaps Weiss was so bad at regular social interactions that she could only open up to others on her own terms. "Fine. What's the secret that I will take to my grave?"

Weiss quickly looked at the door again as if she expected someone to come through right at that moment. Ruby wished Blake would come through just to see the heiress's reaction. Her efforts to summon Blake failed. When Weiss was satisfied, she turned back to Ruby and blurted, "I also like the Achieve Men."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. She looked at Yang's poster and then back to her partner. The remains of Weiss's stand-offish demeanor had shattered with the confession, and her face had turned blood red. Her eyes had shrunk to pinpoints and her head bobbed as she shifted her weight.

Despite Weiss's reaction to her own thoughts, Ruby couldn't see why anyone would consider that a deep, dark secret. Plenty of people liked the Achieve Men. Perhaps it was because Weiss was always so proper that anything associated with the common-folk was taboo. Ruby sighed, but she saw no need to make her partner more uncomfortable. And it did make the redhead happy to see Weiss open up.

"Alright, Weiss. Your secret is safe with me."

"It better be," Weiss snapped.

"I have to admit, I didn't think you'd like the Achieve Men. I think Yang is a fan, too."

"Ugh, don't remind me."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with Yang?"

At that moment, Yang shouted, "Oh, you think your little miracles are gonna save you? Ah, crap. Maybe they will. Just let me heal and we'll see if you like my fist shoved down your throat!"

Weiss looked at Ruby as if the outburst would be a sufficient reason. To the redhead, it was just her sister's usual antics. Videogames pulled out a weird part of her.

Seeing that her message was lost, Weiss said, "There's nothing wrong with Yang. She's just a little too passionate at times. Plus, since she's also a fan of them, it makes it very difficult to be around her because—" Weiss paused. Ruby leaned forward. Weiss looked everywhere around Ruby before finally letting out a loud sigh. "Because I kind of want to join in with her."

It took all of Ruby's willpower to not let out a squeal. The heiress's opinion of Yang had changed from Weiss's usual, icy self to something too cute to bear. With the two teammates often arguing or simply civilly living together, Ruby thought it was great that there was something the two shared in common.

The train of thought was derailed as soon as Weiss spoke again. "Remember, you promised not to tell anyone. Especially Yang."

Ruby deflated. She had already forgotten about the trust exercise. "Fine," she groaned. "Will there be anything else?"

Weiss shifted her weight. "Not unless you want to tell me a secret."

"But I don't have to?" The mere possibility of spilling her deepest, darkest secret was enticing. Ruby could feel it surging within her, begging to be released and known to the world.

Weiss huffed. "I suppose not."

The blood pulsed in Ruby's ears. Sure, finally removing the burden of the secret would be great, but the possibility of others learning it would be too great. Plus, she would be altering Weiss's perception of the world forever. Provided that she lived long enough. If Ruby told the prim and proper heiress the secret, how soon would she have to make sure that her partner suffered a potentially-fatal "accident?" There would be so many factors at play, though. Beacon was large, but there was always somebody walking around. Ruby shook her head. It was neither the time nor place to be thinking about that. It could come later.

"In that case," Ruby said, "I'll choose to go back to my book."

Weiss showed no reaction as if that was what she had been expecting. She gave a curt nod and walked out of the room. Ruby watched her go and put on her headphones. Before losing herself in her book, she thought about how keeping Weiss's secret would be a piece of cake.


	2. Chapter 2

"A piece of cake," Ruby thought as she stared into space in the middle of class. If only she could have gone back in time and warned herself of Weiss's curse. It would have saved her of the week she spent realizing the true depths of her task. Every time Ruby saw Weiss and Yang together, it was obvious how much the two needed to know that there was something in common. Every time the whole team was in a class, the two never sat next to each other. Ruby looked at the empty seat between herself and Blake and pursed her lips. Weiss had been eager to volunteer in Professor Port's class once again, and the heiress was laying waste to a pack of Beowolves. Through it all, Blake seemed to be oblivious to the obvious split in the team, and for that, Ruby was envious of her black-haired teammate.

But what annoyed Ruby the most was that the secret shouldn't have weighed so strongly on her shoulders, yet it felt like she was hauling a boulder everywhere she went. She was sinking slowly under its weight and wanted to give Weiss her secret back. Such a small confession of liking a group of men that did something that Ruby wasn't sure of should not have given her so much trouble. So Weiss was a bit of a nerd, Ruby thought. The secret should only have been a speck of sand on a beach.

Ruby looked around the crowded classroom until she saw her sister. The blonde brawler was leaning back in her seat with a lazy grin. All Ruby would have to do is casually explain the situation to Yang and the secret would be on someone else's shoulder. But could she trust her sister to not tease Weiss about it? Images of worst-case scenarios played out in Ruby's head, and that was before she even considered what sort of torture Weiss had planned for whistleblowers. During their first-day initiation, Weiss had stopped herself from skewering Ruby with a rapier full of red dust. Would she make it a point to have an "accident" in another fight? Ruby shook her head. Her partner wasn't capable of murder. Although she did volunteer a lot in Professor Poop's class to fight whatever caged Grimm he had. What if Weiss was really a bloodthirsty killer that wouldn't hesitate to add a cute fifteen-year-old girl to the list of victims?

Ruby looked up from her doodles of Weiss stabbing a Beowulf just in time to make eye contact with Weiss as she plunged her sword into the last Beowolf's skull. A shiver went up her spine and she tried to see if Weiss was smiling.

"Bravo!" Professor Port boomed. "That was another excellent demonstration by Miss Schnee!" He clapped his huge hands together and surveyed the rest of the students. "Now remember, class, when trying to win a fight, dignity must be discarded. These Grimm are ruthless and do not abide by our rules of engagement. To be victorious, you must suck up your pride and roll around as if you are possessed. However, I would like to congratulate Miss Schnee for being the pinnacle of grace while rolling on the ground."

If Weiss felt self-conscious about Professor Port's evaluation, she didn't show it. Instead, she savagely removed her sword from the Beowolf in just a way to release a healthy spray of blood. The heiress had maintained eye contact with Ruby through the display.

Ruby forced a smile at her partner and all of her plans withered in fright.

Ruby kicked a rock along the sidewalk. If only there was a way to bridge that gap without breaking her promise. Then again, after that lecture, Ruby felt lucky just to be alive. Weiss had to know Ruby's intentions. There was no other explanation for the terrifying eye contact and bloody flourish. Ruby let her thoughts absorb her to the point that everyone else in the crowd melded together into a faceless blob. After walking for several fruitless minutes, the young redhead concluded that she needed to talk to Blake about the problem. There was no way the black-haired girl wouldn't immediately come up with a solution.

A piece of paper smacked her face.

Ruby peeled it away and, before discarding it into a trash can, noticed that it was a flyer for the Achieve Men's upcoming tour. The redhead almost squealed. She thanked the spirit of Blake and looked for the closest vendor. It was only four blocks away. If she could get Weiss and Yang a pair of tickets, then she wouldn't have to hold onto the terrible secret anymore and everyone could be happy! Ruby looked at the flyer and frowned. The tickets had been on sale for several days. What if they were already sold out? Ruby shook her head before exploding into a shower of rose petals. She couldn't let the doubts extinguish the one source of hope she had found in that awful week.

However, after a quick jog to the venue for tickets, the hope had been replaced with the sound of her wallet crying. Ruby looked at the two tickets in her death-grip and was relieved to get the last pair, but she would have to undergo a long time without snacks. It was an acceptable sacrifice. It was for the greater good. Just then, a person walked out of the bakery Ruby was passing.

A wave of pastry-scented air struck the redhead and her stomach gurgled loudly. Ruby looked and saw rows upon rows of cookies, cakes, and pies calling her name. Ruby's mouth filled with drool and she was willing to throw herself into the siren song. The redhead violently shook her head and almost struck another pedestrian. She couldn't falter in her plan, and she barely had enough money to pay for the airship ride back. Besides, she could make it back to Beacon, where there was bound to be some food. But the bakery was closer. Surely Yang would come pick her up if she couldn't afford the airship ticket. Ruby found that her hand was already on the door handle.

"No you don't!" she shouted and forced the traitorous limb back to her side. It was all for the greater good, Ruby reminded herself. She activated her semblance and ran away from the bakery. Tears burned her eyes.

Sometimes the greater good really sucked.

Weiss rolled her shoulders as she walked toward the dorm. She had finished her last class and was looking forward to finally studying. Professor Oobleck had made some interesting points about the beginnings of Vale that the heiress had not considered, and she was eager to do some additional research. She could already imagine having a nice cup of coffee and perusing various databases on her scroll. The thought made her step just a little quicker until she was almost skipping through the halls.

When she opened the door, Weiss saw that she was not alone. Yang was sitting on her bed, kicking her legs in the air. She was looking at two pieces of paper she had in her hand and her smile was beaming, but her shoulders were hunched. The blonde looked at Weiss and waved. "Sup?"

Weiss felt like her chest was going to explode. She could count the number of times she had been alone with Yang on one hand. "Hello."

The heiress was already moving toward her desk. If she could get lost into her work, she wouldn't have to put up with the pressure that Yang always caused. Why couldn't Blake or Ruby be around so Yang could focus on them instead? Weiss reached the sanctuary of her desk and hoped that the conversation would die.

Yang had other plans. Weiss heard the blonde hop off of her bed and walk to where she was sitting. "So a strange thing happened earlier. Ruby gave me these tickets, but then she and Blake disappeared."

"Uh-huh," Weiss said. She opened her scroll and waited. Her icy exterior would take care of the rest.

"And it seems like the show is tonight. You look busy, but if by some crazy chance you have friends outside of the team, do you know anyone who'd want to see the Achieve Men?"

Weiss felt like time had stopped. She had just told Ruby about her secret and now Yang had been given tickets to an Achieve Men concert while the other two team members conveniently disappeared. Weiss resisted the urge to smack her own forehead, but she didn't know why she expected any semblance of subtlety from the energetic redhead. However, Ruby was sending an obvious message without exposing the secret. It was an open invitation, and Weiss felt lighter knowing that Ruby was going to such lengths for the team. And it would waste Ruby's efforts if anyone else went with Yang.

Weiss swallowed. "W-well, if you have an extra ticket, I suppose I could go."

Yang looked at her as if she grew a second head. "Are you sure? I didn't tag you as someone who would enjoy something like this."

Forcing herself to act casual and not wring her hands together, Weiss said, "I guess there's a first time for everything."

The reason satisfied the blonde and she offered one of her large, carefree grins. "Alright! C'mon, princess. Tonight, you're hanging out with me!"

Weiss nodded and got out of her chair. There was no turning back now. Once Yang set her mind to something, there was nothing that could deter her. And it was better than hearing Yang deny the heiress outright. "What time are we leaving?"

"As soon as you change out of your uniform!" Yang threw a set of clothes at her, which Weiss quickly grabbed.

"But it's only three in the afternoon. Concerts are typically later in the day," Weiss said, making no move to change. Though she was excited to finally see the Achieve Men and have a reason to discuss the group with Yang, she still wanted to get some studying done.

"Well yeah, but if we're going to hang out, we're not just gonna go to a concert!" Yang said. "Besides, we don't have classes tomorrow, so loosen up and hurry up."

Weiss frowned, but she couldn't complain too much. She had wanted this. Knowing that any further complaining was pointless, she turned around and started to unbutton her blazer. Yang coughed into her hand and shuffled back to her bed. The air suddenly felt thick.

"So if we're going so early, what sort of plans do you have in mind?" Weiss asked. The clothes Yang had given her were more casual than she often wore. The fabric of the t-shirt rubbed against her collarbone and the pants hugged her legs. A light blue jacket and pair of tennis shoes finished the ensemble. She didn't remember packing any of the clothes. Looking at Yang's back, the heiress said, "You can look now."

Yang smartly turned on her heel, a light blush dusting her features. "That's easy! We're gonna go everywhere we can."

"That doesn't tell me anything."

"Just trust me." Yang grabbed the heiress's hand and pulled her out of the dorm before she could react. Weiss bit the inside of her cheek. Part of her didn't want to trust the impulsive blonde, but the other part was already happy that they were going to an Achieve Men concert. Perhaps, Weiss thought, she could try relaxing for just one night?

The two passed through the many halls and courtyards of Beacon until they were standing in the student parking lot. Yang let go of Weiss's hand to fish out her motorcycle keys. The lost contact made Weiss feel a little colder, but she didn't have the time to contemplate it, as a blue and white helmet was suddenly shoved at her face. "Here, try this on," Yang said.

Weiss accepted the helmet and turned it over in her hands while Yang donned her own helmet. A crude snowflake had been painted on the front. "I didn't expect you to have something like this," Weiss said.

Yang smirked. "What? You don't own the monopoly on blue and white, princess." Before Weiss could offer a retort, Yang looked aside and added, "Plus, since we were all put on a team, I went out and got one for you and Blake. I wasn't gonna let you two go through four years without a ride."

Warmth spread through Weiss's chest as she pulled off her hairpiece. She ran a hand through her ivory hair before putting on the helmet, but not before noticing that Yang was staring at her. Years of feeling like she belonged in her father's trophy room made it easy to deal with the nerves. "Can I help you?"

"How does the helmet feel?"

"It's a little loose."

Yang tutted and was suddenly standing much closer. The blonde grabbed the chin straps and pulled. The heiress, not sure what to do, simply looked into Yang's lilac eyes.

"There. Better?" Yang stepped back with a large smile.

"Much." Weiss couldn't resist the urge to touch the straps.

"Great! Now then, princess," Yang gestured towards her motorcycle, "the mighty stallion awaits."

Weiss shook her head, but a smile formed regardless. "I am so sorry that Blake has to put up with you."

"Hey, I think she won the lottery." Yang hopped onto the motorcycle and started it before the heiress could deliver a retort. Weiss took the hint and climbed on. As the distance between the two teammates closed, Weiss was glad Yang couldn't see her face.

Yang immediately revved the engine and the two sped across the parking lot. As the world blurred, Weiss focused on Yang's back. If she had never told Ruby her secret, Weiss knew she would have continued on as she was: not exactly miserable, but very annoyed. Eventually, she would have slipped and said something, and everyone would have pointed at her and laughed. She thought of Ruby, the underestimated and hyper team leader. Weiss wondered if there was some way she could express her thanks. Maybe she could get Ruby a cake.

Weiss closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the wind rushing past. She could think of a better way to thank Ruby later. After she went to the concert. After she spent some time with Yang.


	3. Chapter 3

Blake was no stranger to fast speeds, but the series of events that had taken her from reading in one of Beacon's courtyards to sitting on the docks with Ruby was nothing but a blur. She sipped the grape slushy she did not remember buying and noticed Ruby had a cherry one, which she was drinking with much delight.

"Forgive me for asking if you've already explained, but why am I here?" Blake asked. A crowd of people passed behind them, loudly talking about a recent sporting event. The sun felt like it had somehow found a way to become even hotter, and a quick glance showed that there was no shade to rest in. Blake twitched her bow. She missed her book.

Ruby gave her a sideways glance and smiled around the straw. "Don't you worry your pretty little bow off, Blake. Everything is going according to plan."

Blake twitched her bow at the mention of it. "That's what I'm worried about. What is this 'plan' and why aren't Weiss and Yang here?"

Ruby took a long sip and looked away. The redhead's upper lip started to quiver and Blake was about to repeat the question when Ruby said, "Let's just say they're on a little bonding experience. Which I paid for."

Blake turned to see where Ruby was looking and she spotted a billboard for homemade cookies. Blake glanced back at her team leader and thought she saw a tear fall down Ruby's cheek. Should she offer her condolences? "Thanks for the slushy, by the way," Ruby chirped with forced cheerfulness.

"Don't mention it?" Blake turned the plastic cup around in her hand while Ruby went back to drinking. After spending a minute to get her head wrapped around the situation, she asked, "So if Weiss and Yang are on their 'bonding experience,' what are we doing?"

"That's simple. I'm spending time with my favorite bookworm!"

The compliment made Blake narrow her eyes. After all that had happened, she wanted to trust Ruby, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being buttered up for further purchases. Ruby kept smiling despite the scrutiny. Blake cursed the air of innocence that poured from the young team leader and soon found her mistrust draining. Although she missed her book, Blake decided that it would do her some good to hang out with Ruby. Besides, if Weiss and Yang were going to have fun, why couldn't she? She would just have to keep an eye on her funds and make sure Ruby didn't experience a sugar rush. That would be easy.

Weiss had enjoyed the motorcycle ride until they got to the highway. That was when Yang had decided to go as fast as she could, and that whipped all of her hair the only place it could go: directly into Weiss's face. The only thing that stopped her from losing her mind was the fact that Yang's bountiful hair was soft and smelled good. It was a shame that she couldn't see anything past it. As they continued down the road, being pressed against Yang had lost enough appeal so that Weiss didn't feel like her face was on fire. When the motorcycle slowed down and Yang's hair finally fell away, Weiss saw that they were in a parking garage.

Yang pulled into a parking spot, hit the kickstand, and said, "Alright, we're here!" She took off her helmet and turned around, every blonde hair falling into its original, perfect position. "Enjoy the ride?"

"I couldn't see anything past your hair!" Weiss said. She took off her own helmet and glared at the blonde.

Yang had the decency to look embarrassed. "Didn't think about that," she said, scratching her cheek. "But did you still enjoy it?"

Weiss thought of the smooth, citrus-smelling curtain that had enveloped her for the entire ride and realized that she didn't _not_ like it. She looked away from the blonde and said, "It was… enjoyable."

"Aw, someone's blushing," Yang teased. Weiss was about to object before all of her breath was pushed out of her when the blonde's arms wrapped around her waist and squeezed. It reminded Weiss of Ruby; however, unlike Ruby's hugs, Yang was able to pick Weiss off the motorcycle and spin around.

"Put me down this instant!" Weiss shouted as she pushed against Yang's shoulders.

"Aw, let me have this," Yang pouted. "You're so cold the rest of the time. It's nice to see you loosen up a bit."

The words sent a shiver down Weiss's spine and she dropped her arms to her sides. At least Yang was asking for the hug, and the heiress couldn't say that she didn't desire the contact as well. However, just because she wanted the hug didn't mean that she didn't notice Yang was taking a long time. "Are you done?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry." Yang let the heiress go and Weiss immediately noticed a chill from her absence.

"So when are you going to tell me about this plan of yours?"

Yang bit back a chuckle. Weiss raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Seeing that the heiress was not going to react, Yang muttered something before saying, "Well, since you don't know anything about the Achieve Men, I'm gonna give you a crash course. So c'mon."

Weiss half-expected to be dragged along by the energetic blonde brute. She was pleasantly surprised when they were able to walk side-by-side out of the parking garage, down a set of stairs that smelled heavily of urine, and emerged into the hot weather of downtown Vale. The two set off at a relaxed pace until they came across a small café.

The heiress frowned as she remembered the last time she was in the café was when she didn't think well of Ruby. Weiss thought how ironic it was that she used to be so horrible towards the young redhead and now she was going to a concert with Yang at Ruby's expense. Though she had long since apologized for her past behavior, Weiss still choked a bit when she thought about it. Perhaps she could get Ruby something from the concert. Yang opened the door and waved a hand forward. "Ladies first."

Weiss shook her head. "Compared to you, even Jaune would have to go first."

Yang laughed and followed Weiss in. "I'll take that as a compliment."

The café was just as before. The muted, green tiles of the floor bore faint marks due to all of the traffic that had been through the store. People sat at the cheap, imitation wood tables, providing a buzz of conversations that Weiss didn't care to keep track of. Speakers spilled forth with unfamiliar indie music, which shared the air with the delicious, sweet scent of freshly grinded coffee. The two teammates didn't make it four steps before Yang forced Weiss to sit down at the closest table, which was at the front of the store, and shoved her scroll into Weiss's hands. "Here you go. I have all of the Achieve Men's albums right there, so educate yourself and I'll get the drinks."

"What about ear buds?"

"Huh? Oh yeah." Yang reached into her pocket and dropped a pair of yellow colored ear buds into Weiss's hand. Yang's symbol was on the end of each bud. "Have fun!" she sang before stepping into the line.

Weiss frowned. She didn't get to tell the blonde what she wanted to order, but she decided to give Yang the benefit of the doubt. Weiss sighed before scrolling through the extensive music library. She had already listened to all of the Achieve Men's albums, but it wasn't every day she was able to indulge in her guilty pleasure in public, so she settled on the first song her finger landed on: "The Ballad of Pubert Haywood."

The familiar, upbeat chords started pumping into her ears. Weiss resisted the urge to bob her head along with the beat, as she imagined Yang looking at her to judge her reactions. She felt heat spread up her neck and had to remind herself to sit up straight. She had no idea why she put her back to Yang. If anything, she should have been watching the blonde to make sure the orders seemed ordinary.

A text bubble appeared in the lower-right corner of the screen. It was from Blake and simply read, "Help me."

Alarmed, Weiss clicked the bubble and saw a picture was attached, which showed Blake sandwiched between Ruby and Sun. While all three of them were smiling, and Ruby and Sun had their arms over Blake's shoulders, Weiss could see a silent pleading in Blake's eyes. Weiss considered sending a response, but it wasn't her scroll and Yang would undoubtedly want to see the message, if only to laugh at it.

Weiss navigated through the scroll's menu to find the music player. She clicked on the little icon and was faced with Yang's extensive music library. Curious, she opened a list titled "Favorites." She expected to find more Achieve Men. Instead, Weiss only saw her own songs. "Mirror Mirror" alone had been played over one-hundred times.

Weiss felt her face heat up without the convenience of having any coffee cups to hide behind. With a few deft swipes, Weiss was able to go back to the Achieve Men songs in time before Yang came back.

"Sorry about that," Yang said and placed a large cup in front of Weiss, "the guy in front of me had to complain to the barista about how this store has gone too main stream." Her usual grin faltered and she asked, "So how's the music?"

"It's… enjoyable." Weiss said, thankful for having the cup. She didn't want to reveal how much of an Achieve Men fan she was so soon, and she felt dirty for violating Yang's privacy.

The blonde's smile returned in full force. "Yeah, it's pretty great."

"Oh, Blake also sent you a text."

"She did?" Yang leaned forward and maneuvered through the scroll's interface. When she pulled up the picture, she laughed and shook her head. "Oh man, she's so screwed."

Weiss could feel the heat radiating from Yang's body. It was a surprise that one person could be that hot and not constantly annoyed about it. At the same time, it also made Weiss think about the hug they shared, and how it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to have another one. But she couldn't really ask for something like that, could she?

Yang backed away and took her own seat across from Weiss. The heiress shifted and tried to ignore the blonde, who was staring. She rested her head on her hand and had that same, lazy smile. Weiss wasn't sure what to do. Sure, they were supposed to go to the concert, but was Yang planning on having her listen to the Achieve Men until then? Were they not going to talk at all? Well, if that was the case, Weiss decided, she was going to stare right back. She straightened her back and lowered her chin before plunging into the depths of Yang's lilac eyes.

The song ended and another started: "Storming the Tower." To some, it was just a song about fighting for money. On the other hand, there were those that would argue that it was just a metaphor for sex. Weiss had tried to ignore the people that made that claim, but once the idea had lodged itself in her head, she couldn't shake the feeling. The song, paired with staring into Yang's eyes, who was still smiling, caused Weiss to burn with embarrassment.

Yang's smile grew and she imitated pulling an ear bud out. Weiss obeyed, slightly confused. "Are you okay?" Yang asked, her voice full of cheer. "You look like you're burning up."

"I'm fine!" Weiss squeaked. She instantly clamped her mouth shut and waited for the torrent of Yang's laughter to hit her. Instead, Yang just chuckled, a deep sound that came from her stomach. The sound dissipated Weiss's embarrassment, and she soon found herself mimicking Yang's easy-going smile. Perhaps spending time together before the concert had been the right move after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Yang was not known for her patience. During her time in Team RWBY, Weiss had seen plenty of instances where the blonde brawler erupted in frustration, most recently caused by the shocking betrayal when her favorite hairbrush came away with a single hair in its coarse bristles. The dorm had smelled like smoke for a week after that confrontation. Knowing that her teammate seemed to require a steady stream of stimulation, Weiss was not surprised when the initial plan of having her listen to all of the Achieve Men's albums fell through.

"Alright, that should do it," Yang said, audible even over the song Weiss was listening to. "What do you think?"

Weiss paused the music and took the ear buds out before handing the scroll back to its owner. She felt the embarrassing tide of fangirl-ish glee creep up her throat. Honestly, how could anyone expect her to answer that question without jumping on a table in excitement? She absolutely adored the genius synthpop goodness that the Achieve Men were able to produce with both enviable talent and low production times. Despite her very being pumping with burning love, she managed a tone of casual interest and said, "It's not bad."

"Yes! That's what I like to hear!" Yang pumped a fist into the air. Weiss chuckled at the blonde's antics. "Oh man, and just wait; soon we'll be seeing them live! And if you thought the studio stuff wasn't bad, wait till you see the good stuff! Like, imagine them, there are the six guys, who," she added in a conspiratorial whisper, "only go by their stage names, and not only do they do the songs, but they also put on a show! They're like an improv group!" Yang scratched her chin and lowered her voice, "Though I think Geoff might just be drunk. Miccus and Vav usually put on a good act."

Weiss scrunched her nose. "Is there going to be drinking at the venue?"

Yang waved a hand as if to brush the heiress's concerns aside. "Yeah, there's probably gonna be some beer there. But we probably won't get to see any funny drunks with these seats." She leaned forward and winked. "Or were you just asking because you wanted to get some yourself?"

"Of course not! Like I would waste my money on some overpriced beer at a concert!"

"Yeah, you got a point about it being overpriced." Yang leaned back in her chair. "Guess we'll just have to get it after the concert," she quickly said into her cup.

"Did you say something?"

"Nah."

Blake didn't like the way her day was becoming a blur. It was hot, everyone was talking a mile a minute, her arms were slowly becoming unattached because of all of the pulling, and she still didn't know who had killed who in the delicious mystery novel she had been torn away from. The suspense was eating a hole in her gut, while Ruby was filling the hole in her gut with a sundae. Where did she get that sundae? Why did the redhead look so pleased with herself? Why was Sun peeking over a ledge? Why did he and Ruby just share a fist bump?

"Those cops will never find us now."

"Yeah. Smart plan throwing the banana peel," Ruby said.

"Thanks. I thought it was pretty ingenious, if I say so myself," Sun said with a large grin.

Cops? Blake blinked, realizing that the trio was on a roof. Probably in Vale, but she wasn't sure if she would be surprised if they were in Mistral or Vacuo. After all, what was the difference between the cities? They all protected people from Grimm, right? Any sort of changes in architecture were probably minute and pointless, unless if the cities were just trying to show how different they were from each other from a cultural standpoint. Then the words her "friends" said sunk in, and the gears in her head finally clicked. "Wait, did you say the cops were after us?"

Sun and Ruby shared a look between themselves before focusing on Blake. Ruby said, "Yeah, you were there." Her eyes sharpened with worry, and she added, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Gah, no." Blake rubbed her temples before covering her face with her hands. "This whole day could have been so much better. I just want to wake up and see that this has all been a dream and that I still have money in my wallet."

"Hey," Sun said, "when you hang out with me, you don't spend any money. That's why the cops were after us."

Blake let out a loud groan, but it was almost blocked out by the sound of a police siren coming closer. She didn't want to move. Honestly, if the trio had conducted petty theft, then they would probably only get a fine. But then they ran, which would tack on more money. But if she didn't pay for anything, then she would be able to pay off whatever the new sum was. She just didn't want to move.

Ruby cocked her head, her silver eyes widening by just a fraction. "Do you think that's for us?"

Sun smirked. "Probably. Time to go!"

Blake was content to stay, but Ruby wrapped an arm around her waist and activated her semblance. As they sped away, Blake felt their fines climb higher.

The sun was setting when Weiss and Yang left the café, both of them wearing matching smiles. Their conversation had drifted from the Achieve Men to other topics, like their respective childhoods. Weiss had preferred to keep Yang talking while they were on the subject, as she didn't want to bring her own past to bear, just in case she ended up activating Yang's need to be the supportive and loving big sister. Besides, it was much more fun to hear about how the two sisters spent their lives on Patch. She made a mental note to ask Ruby about the time she almost crushed the neighbor's car by cutting down a tree.

However, she did feel slightly guilty for not providing as many stories as Yang did. Perhaps she could make up the difference another time. Those sorts of thoughts had no place on a nice day like the one she was having. They had already taken up enough of her life.

"Hey, what're you thinking about?" Yang asked.

Weiss looked at the sidewalk and, after a moment, said, "Nothing."

The word came out laced with bitterness. The heiress winced and was about to apologize, but when she looked at Yang, she was met with her same, easy smile. Either Yang didn't notice or, more likely, the word just bounced off her.

"If you say so, princess. Anyway, are you excited about finally getting to the concert? It's gonna be so great!" Yang clenched her fists and Weiss had to push herself to keep up with the blonde's energetic strides. She didn't quite understand why they left the motorcycle in the parking garage. Wouldn't it be easier to drive there? It would certainly beat walking in the heat.

"I'd be more excited if you slowed down! We already have the tickets and the show isn't going to start for two more hours, and that's not including the opening acts that will probably be there." Weiss bit her tongue and felt her face redden. She wasn't supposed to know about opening acts. She was supposed to be the uptight girl who never spent nights glued to a screen watching entire Achieve Men concerts online.

If Yang heard the blunder, she didn't show it. "Yeah, but I just want to _be_ there already!"

"If you're that eager, we could've gone on your motorcycle."

Yang raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever tried driving out of a concert? It's slow and boring. And there's always that one guy that tries cutting ahead just because he has a big truck to compensate for his little di—"

A police cruiser that was driving next to them suddenly turned on its sirens and sped away. The two teammates watched it go, the sirens soon fading into the distance. "Good thing they're not heading the same way as we are."

"They will be once we get there," Yang said with a wide smile.

Weiss rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide from the blonde's enthusiasm. Though she would prefer that the cops didn't come to the concert because of them, at that moment, if Yang did something to warrant that sort of attention, like being an awful nuisance to other concertgoers, Weiss was not entirely sure that she could resist herself from joining her teammate in her revelry. Or she would at least pay the bail.


	5. Chapter 5

To say that the arena was abuzz was an understatement. Weiss felt like her head was going to explode in the crush of people. The plethora of noises ranged from random shouts of excitement to people shouting simply to be heard. The heiress had been to multiple concerts before, and had even been the main act more than once, but those had been reserved affairs. And after passing one group of loud, tottering idiots, she was fairly certain no one at her shows had been drunk before the concert had concluded. Now she ran the very real risk of someone spilling beer on her. She looked down at the blue jacket Yang got her and suddenly felt very protective of it. Perhaps it was because the concert was sold out, but Weiss felt like there were too many people inside the stadium.

Weiss didn't want to admit it, but she was hoping that it would be a little quieter, simply because she was having such a great time talking with Yang. Something about how the two were able to say so much in such a little amount of time was invigorating and made the heiress feel like she was lighter than air. But then again, she figured that such times would be more prevalent. The two teammates, by the end of the night, would have become concert-going friends, at least! Weiss clenched her fist, feeling like anything was possible. They might even get to their seats in one piece! Yang must have noticed Weiss's unease and moved so that she was in front of the heiress. Weiss resisted the urge to take Yang's hand as the blonde broke through the crowd.

"You wanna get something?" Yang shouted, pointing at one of the merchandise tables. Weiss focused on the mass of people swarming the table and imagined all of those people touching her, causing a shiver of her spine. But she also wanted to get something to remember the experience.

"Might as well. I wouldn't mind getting Ruby a gift." Weiss patted herself on the back; using Ruby as a scapegoat felt dishonest, but it would be the best way to acquire some merchandise without raising suspicions.

Yang shook her head. "Ruby doesn't like the Achieve Men. Believe me; I've tried to get her into them."

Weiss felt her plans deflating. "Then I guess I won't need to get anything," she lamely said.

"Well that doesn't mean _I_ don't want anything. Sometimes these concerts have exclusive stuff you can't get anywhere else."

Those were words Weiss knew all too well. She had perused the entire Achieve Men store multiple times, adding dozens of items to her cart, only to delete the whole order before placing it. Whenever that happened, she told herself that she would at least get a shirt or a coffee mug the next time she was on the website. So because of her diligence, she knew that the tour poster and two of the shirts were not going to be something she could buy when no one was looking. She ground her teeth together and looked away from the stand. Perhaps she could peruse the concession stands. The faster she got out away from the merchandise, the faster she could forget all about her regret.

"Here you go," Yang said, pushing one of the two tour shirts into Weiss's hands. She had the other shirt halfway on, so it was worn as a scarf. She gave a wide smile as she added, "Something to remember today."

Weiss had to make sure she didn't choke as she thanked her teammate. Yang waved the gratitude aside, as if giving surprise gifts was the sort of thing friends did all the time. The heiress bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance; now she would have to get Yang something to make them even. But returning a gift wasn't something that had to be done immediately. She would certainly think of something before the night was over.

"Hey," Yang said, leaning close and dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "you wanna try to get into the pit?"

All of Weiss's good feelings died. She narrowed her eyes at the blonde and slowly asked, "What do you mean? I thought our tickets were in the nosebleeds."

"Well, yeah, but look at the security! That guy isn't paying any attention! We could easily sneak in. And once we're in, no one is going to think we don't belong there."

Weiss bit her lip, although Yang's exuberance was infectious. She had heard about the pit before; it was where most of the people went to get super close to the band, and it was prone to break out in shoving and broken noses. The perfect place for a brawler like Yang, in other words. Though Yang wanted to go into the pit, Weiss did want to be able to enjoy the show.

"How about, instead of having me nag at you, you can do whatever you want. Either way, I'm going to go to the seats on the tickets."

Yang frowned. Weiss felt like she had just kicked a puppy. She was about to relent when Yang said, "Well, okay. It is your first time at one of these concerts." Yang put an arm over Weiss's shoulder and shepherded the heiress towards the seats. "Though next time, we're totally going down there."

Next time? Weiss was too busy being flustered at the sudden contact. The two passed through the crowds, but it felt like all of the other people were blurred away. Again, Yang's intoxicating scent ruined Weiss's senses, and if the blonde hadn't been supporting her, Weiss was sure that her knees would turn to jelly. Of course, it was because of the blonde that she was in that state, but Weiss wasn't about to complain. Their seats couldn't come fast enough.

When the two sat down, or more accurately for Weiss, collapsed, they were faced with the realization that the seats weren't that bad. Sure, the stadium was packed, but at least they could sit down. Yang kicked her feet up on the empty chair in front of her, and Weiss occupied herself with people watching. However, as she looked around and saw every kind of form of person with such regularity that she glossed over with cold indifference, she couldn't help but think that it would be better to look at her scroll.

She wasn't surprised to see a message from Blake, which said, "I've died. There is no more me." A photo appeared from Ruby. It was a selfie of the three of them hanging above a pair of cops. The police were sweeping the floor with flashlights, oblivious of the trio. Ruby and Sun looked like they were having the times of their lives. Blake was clinging to a rafter and looking like she was regretting every life choice she ever made. Yang peeked over the heiress's shoulder and couldn't suppress a giggle. "I almost feel bad for her."

"It's good for Blake to get out. I've seen some of the books she reads."

The blonde perked at that. She placed her feet on the ground and draped an arm over Weiss's shoulders, causing the heiress to feel like her heart was going to rocket back into her throat. Yang lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper and said, "Please tell me more."

Blake paused to take a breath. The sirens were speeding in the opposite direction, so she felt that it was a good time to recuperate. Her law-breaking companions had a similar thought, as they slowed down with her. Ruby pulled a candy bar out of her pocket and started eating. Blake's vision zeroed in on the treat. Great. That was just what Ruby needed. More sugar. Blake clenched her fists, her nails leaving little crescents in her palms. Why should she be the one to feel all of the pressure of two immature idiots on their stupid crime spree? The anger pushed through the haze that had settled over her, burning everything away except for one explosive desire.

"You!" Blake shouted, pointing at Ruby.

Ruby pointed at herself. "Me?"

"You! Where do you keep getting food? Just how deep are those pockets?"

"Hey, if I can hide a gallon of milk with these pants, she could probably swipe a whole buffet," Sun said. Blake turned to see that Sun was, in fact, nursing a gallon of milk. He was drinking that after a high-speed chase across the entire city. Her stomach twisted at the thought, and she decided to focus on Ruby before she puked.

"When we get back, you are staying away from blondes and sugar," Blake declared.

"Aw, what?" Ruby pouted. "But that's…" her outrage immediately died and she cocked her head to the side. "Why blondes?"

Blake waved her hands as she said, "Because I don't know what it is, but you become completely different when they're around."

Ruby was downcast for a moment before brightening up. "So does that mean I have to be near you?"

"Uh." Blake felt her plans of finally catching up with her book withering away.

"You did say that," Sun offered.

"Yay, I get more time with Blake!" Ruby shouted, wrapping her arms around Blake's waist, the chocolate bar jabbing uncomfortably close to the black-haired girl's white shorts.

Blake pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes against the growing headache. The light from the setting sun was annoying her, especially since she felt like her day both felt like it was ending but was also going to last longer than it had any right to.

"Listen. I just want this to be over. Did the cops get any good looks at us?"

"You don't remember?"

Blake kept her eyes shut as she snapped, "No, Sun, I don't remember. That's why I'm asking. Now, can one of you tell me if the cops got a good look at us?"

Ruby said, "No, not really. We were moving pretty fast."

"Good." Blake opened her eyes and glared at them. "And how much did you two steal?"

Ruby kicked at the ground and stayed silent. Sun, who had no shame, puffed his chest and was about to regale their entire heist to Blake. But when he saw the promise of murder swirling in her eyes, he simply asked, "Are you really sure you want to know? You look like you're about to bite someone's head off."

"That's because I am going to do just that unless you two return _everything_ you stole. If you already ate it, you make sure to _pay _for it. And if I find out either of you _tried_ to hide something from me, I will tie you from a tree and use you as target practice! Do you understand?" Blake saw both of them obediently nod their heads. "Good. Now let's go before the cops come back."

Sun set out first. Ruby was about to follow when Blake's hand shot out and snagged Ruby's cloak. The team leader's silver eyes were wide as Blake drew her in until their noses were touching. "Don't think Yang isn't going to hear about this."

Ruby offered a weak chuckle. "Well, actually, I've been texting her this whole time. See?" She held up her scroll so Blake could read the messages, which the black-haired girl took in disbelief. If the redhead thought that it would calm Blake to know that Yang was okay with their mischief, she was soon to be horribly mistaken. She had to wrench the scroll out of Blake's grip before she crushed it.

Blake fixed Ruby with a stare that only promised death. "Go. Now."

"Yes ma'am!" Ruby squeaked, running to join Sun.

Blake waited until she was alone to pull out a stress ball. She squeezed it until every vein in her arm popped, and then she squeezed it harder. The day had been nothing but a massive headache, but at least it was coming to an end. She looked in the direction of the Achieve Men concert and hoped that losing her sanity meant that Weiss and Yang had a good experience.


End file.
